I am being asked to consider this simple question.
My view is that it is a matter of providing a range of accessible and acceptable interventions/services of a high standard that people would actually want to use.

But I would be grateful for any unusual, radical or slightly offbeat suggestions that might be uitilised in an area that already was performing well in the fomer respect but wanted to expand even further.

I would also be grateful for a steer towards any (NTA?) good practice guidance or field example literature in this area.

Cheers
Simon

AAh.. when i hit the reply button, my computer usefully puts your full question at the top of the reply page. I can now see that you are asking "how can drug services attract more patients into treatment?"

For some reason my desktop only shows the question up to the word "attract" which left various options for filling in the gaps..? e.g. "more cheerful cleaners?" or "better dressed doctors?"

the question is now clear, if not the answers...

We are looking to do a newspaper and local radio advert saying that waiting times are low and you will be treated with respect. If you or anyone you know has a drug or alcohol problem then please phone and make an appointment.

One fruitful source of “unusual, radical or slightly offbeat suggestions” might be the aspirations and expectations of the people who already use your service. I happen to know that you are well taught in the field of survey methods and questionnaire design.

Its a couple of years old now but I have found this site and the leaflets and postcards useful.
http://www.eata.org.uk/treatmentworks.php

Thanks so far people.
No one has mentioned either heroin prescribing or contingency management 'rewards' yet.
Any views on these and other potential attractors?

Simon

PS. And yes Pat, well-taught.
But well-remembered...?

Cheers

I like the idea of the newspaper advert selling good services- perhaps to a different population than make their own way there presently (or are otherwise sent).
I think the otherside of the coin is in what service users are reporting to their contacts; is it welcoming, flexible, local, personal etc.
I.e. potential clients would be attracted by good reports- but similarly could be put off by reports about having to be grilled on their criminal activity in the last week. I can't believe that part of the "chat" is going to have people rushing in and that too may be a different population who may have heard about TOPS or whom could fear it might have more repercussions to them (rightly or wrongly).

I was in my local health centre the other day and I realised that there were adverts for all sorts of clinicas and services all over the walls, a tv service advertising many services and millions of leaflets. However drug services were notable by their absence. This is on the Wirral where every practice is pretty much involved. I realised I have very rarely seen drug services advertised in health centres, even where the surgery is very active. Its probably got something to do with the perceived sensitivity of other patients but we are definitely missing a trick here in terms of advertising services

I believe that if a good service is provided, that values the person and is flexible yet responsible for good and effective treatments/interventions, then the service will attract more 'customers' think analogy with resteraunts (i'd recommend a good one and warn of a poor one) and the 'service provided'. I think by and large this has always been the ethos/aim of drug services and the people who worked in them, but things have changed alot in the field which could adversley effect the image of drug services to the users e.g compulsion in to treatment, TOPS (only want stats for e.g offending rates) and the impact of the criminal justice arena which is focused not on the health of the person but their behaviour and this has diluted the quality of the relationship for many. The move towards abstainence is creeping on and this will impact on how the service regards clients, so I don't hold my breath on it changing for the better, "but I can process you quicker in to our abstainence service sir/madam and initiate your detox in a variety of settings...." As for the absence of 'marketing' our services in Gp practices etc... I think this is about corporate image and the reluctance to attract people with 'image' problems. Only my view and I'm sure others will see have their own...

Hi Joe
I must take exception to your assertions about TOP. After TOP was piloted there was very positive feedback from both keyworkers and service users about its usefulness in treatment itself, the way it focused issues, and felt that over time it was marking their progress. From a strategic point of view, we (NTA) are just as in need to prove to govt that treatment improves health and social functioning and reduces drug use as we are to show that it reduces crime. I personally feel confident that TOP will show all of these, and help us continue to make the case that 'treatment works' and in particular our own English form of harm minimisation-focused treatment, mostly methadone maintenance. There are strong voices who have the ear of govt suggesting that this approach does not work and only creates a methadone dependent cohort. We need to counter this by showing there are positive outcomes across the board.
Regarding image in GPs surgeries, NTA has just participated in the GMC consultation on 'Personal medical beliefs and good practice', and I hope that they will include our case study which is about notices placed in GP surgeries which are anatagonistic towards users. At least this may help to reduce the rejcting tone of such notices, even if it isn't exacly advertising!
Susi

Hi suzi,
I'm sorry if my comments don't reflect the feelings of others regarding TOPS. However, the training I received certainly implied this as we were advised to only complete the last section (in the past 28 days). Now this may be due to the training I had and may not be the case, but that's how it felt. With regards to having to demonstrate proof to the Gov... I am unsure how statistics can do that, especially if they are collected in such a vague way and are as always open to interpretation. It is my experience that Gov's interpret things according to their specific agendas.. an example being the use of research evidence. They are often selective of what research they want to accept as valid, usually their own or from the states/oz.
What would you say the chances of the research showing the 'drugs war' is not being won would be acted upon and policy changing as a result are? Surely, a more abstract example of how these gov's portray the 'evidence' e.g Iraq war is/was going and how 'we' are winning (despite the contrary evidence) shows BOTH these Governments will mislead for their own purpose, despite the evidence. So, I am sorry if you disagree with my comments suzi, I mean no offence by them, just a reflection of my own thoughts/experience/s and therefore are not evidenced based, so they don't really matter..

Simom M
I fess up, I have worked mainly in a retail enviroment, but to get people in your service, it has to be advertised... but not always where you think. I get lots, really, of people... Mums, Dads, Aunts etc asking me about what step to take, or to encourage their family member to take, to help them. I would go...definately for your local pharmacies... GP surgeries(even if they dont prescribe)... churches/(you will be suprised!) I would love you to advertise in the supermarkets, but I do understand the sensitivity aspect... what about colleges and Universities?... not sure if any of this will help... but you have to get outb there and remember it is sometimes the FAMILIES that will pick up what you are saying
If you have a good service.. blow your trumpet,... dont ask me to, I am NOT musical!!

Very tickled by that Claire B. Thanks for those thoughts.

This is frustrating: the debate is hotting up just as I'm about to go to my meeting. Still some time left though...

quote:

I would also be grateful for a steer towards any (NTA?) good practice guidance or field example literature in this area.

Hi Susi. Good to hear from you.
Can you give me any help regarding any possible NTA good practice guidance?

Cheers
Simon

Hi Simon - thanks I know I've been away from here alot and probably will be again but I just had a little window
Nothing springs to mind re guidance but will put the feelers out...
And hi Joe - No need for apologies - all healthy debate! But am I right in understanding you to say you were advised to ONLY fill in the last section? I'm astounded if this was the case, I wonder what the trainer in question thought the point of the rest of form is?
Something I've learned about politicians - they are never seen to lose, they just stop talking about the problem.

I think that there should be more outreach work in the community which could assit in raising awareness of support service availability.

Dear all

I went to my meeting today and one of my submissions to the discussion was a copy of our discussion here. The meeting agreed to seek advice from the local authority marketing and advertisng experts to inform a local advertisng campaign. The intention is to target different locations (including primary care) and populations (including friends and family) and advertise/celebrate some individual success stories and the quality of our local service provision.

So thanks for the all the input. It was really helpful. Once again, it has reminded me of the power of this interactive network of which we are all part.

Cheers
Simon

PS. This is not meant to end the discussion by the way. Given that I was inviting a 'brainstorm' I am very intruiged that no-one mentioned heroin prescribing for one.
Lots of people, including the JRF and the NTA, have pronounced on it.

The JRF Stimson/Metribian research suggests it could attract people into service. Only the Police seem to want to assertively advocate for it. Is it our elephant in the room? Or, maybe more like an elephant that someone wants to bring into a room?...

(Er, that's enough similes for now. Ed.)

I remember a paper from America that when patients were given Methadone within 24 hours 92% went to the appt. This rapidly reduced within two weeks.
Quick simple assesements that are an ongoing process, get the patient on some medication and they will keep the appt's.

yes it seems logical to use the same advertising routes that got them into drugs in the first place!

Concur with some comments, disagree with others. What a wonderful site this is...anyway, I always believe that the best way to attract people into any service is word of mouth, and using peers to advocate on our behalf. We are a fairly new service and are regularly receiving new people into treatment, who have been using for 5, 6, 7 or more years years with, (now sit down and tape mouth shut) no contact with criminal justice services. The reason they are coming into treatment now is that they have heard it is good, whereas before, they had heard it was not. I also think venues are important. We know some of our GP colleagues do not welcome our client group into treatment, but we still expect our clients to continue trying a number of GPs until they arefortunate to find a Chris, Suzi etc. I think we have to make ourselves more accesible.
Last comment, TOP? Useful? No mention of sex work? Clients will not tell us info if we dont ask, and by avoiding the questions, makes it harder to ask?!